The Riddle
by LeeMalfoy3
Summary: Being randomly taken from your time can cause a few headaches. But when you're also thrown into a world of magic and living alone? Life can be a riddle...
1. Chapter 1: Lost

**The Riddle**

_Chapter 1: Lost_

"Where am I?" I asked, looking groggily around. I don't know what had happened but I woke up in a small, dark hole. I stood and stretched, accidently hitting my head on the ceiling, or what I thought was the ceiling. Definitely small and dark. I managed to disentangle myself and crawl out of the hole, only to find myself in a busy city in broad daylight. Fabulous. "No seriously, where am I?"

I began searching around for something to identify where I was. I found a newspaper blowing, like a tumbleweed across the desert, across the street and barely managed to stop it before it became out of reach.

I studied the paper looking for some indication where I was. I found it and promptly felt weak kneed. This couldn't be happening! How did I get here? I looked frantically around for someone I knew to be laughing at my ignorance and for me being so gullible. I found no one. I, somehow, managed to wake up in 1943, in London, England. It seemed rather odd...I mean, how in the world could a girl wake up in London, 67 odd years in the past! Without magic. I mean, really. Unless, all those stories my ma told me as a child were true. Was there really magic? Was I the victim of magic?

I dusted myself off and walked to the nearest pub, I needed some water. I found a little place called the Leaky Cauldron and figured it'd be as good as any. "Hello." I greeted the young bartender.

"Hello there, miss. I haven't seen you around these parts. May I inquire as to your name?"

"I'm Holly." I told him, smiling. No need to lie. It's not like anyone here would know me anyway.

"Why, welcome to the Leaky Cauldron Holly. I'm Tom. What can I do you for?"

"Can I just have some water?" I asked.

"Definitely." He grabbed a cup and set it on the table before me. I watched in awe as it filled with water. Then, wiped my face clean. It was just magic. I probably could do that too, if I knew the spell, or I was magic.

"Thank you." I told him. I could feel eyes watching me. "Tom?" He looked at me. "Where exactly am I?"

"The Leaky Cauldron in London."

"But, why did you do magic? Couldn't a human just walk in and see it and get freaked out?"

He let out a booming laugh. "Have you not been to London, sweetie?" I shook my head. "Well, the Leaky Cauldron can only be seen by witches and wizards."

"I'm a witch?" I stood up in shock and tried to back away.

"Of course you are. Didn't you know?"

"N-no." I stuttered. "I think I may need to lay down." I looked around in fright.

"Follow me." He motioned to the stairs. Once in a little room he turned and told me, "You can stay here as long as you'd like to." There was concern all over his face.

"Thank you, thank you very much." I whispered, tears already filling my eyes. How did this happen? My whole life was just flipped upside down. What was I gonna do? I laid there for, God knows how long, but couldn't get a wink of sleep. Tom checked on me around 5.

"Are you hungry?" He asked softly, so as to not startle me.

"No, but thank you anyway." I murmured, voice hoarse. What about my family. They'd miss me. And how will I survive here? I'm only 16. I can't live on my alone yet. Well, not legally. But maybe...was there a way I could get home? Magic got me here, obviously. So it could get me home. I'll have to study, hard. Maybe Tom knows some books of magic that could help me. I got out of bed and walked down the steps. The young bartender looked up when I entered the room.

"Holly!" He cheerfully greeted. "Decided you should eat?"

"I'm still not hungry but I was wondering if you could help me. Do you know a place I could get a magic book? A store or library, I don't care which." He let out a gleeful laugh which made me feel rather stupid.

"Diagon Alley has a ton of bookstores but if you're looking for a library, I'd go to Hogwarts."

"Diagon Alley? Hogwarts?" I was confused. Was he making up words or was he serious. He laughed again.

"Come with me." He put one of his arms around me and led me out the back door, to a little alleyway. Then, he pulled out a stick, which evidently was a wand, and tapped the bricks. The wall began to dissolve? I would've fallen over in shock but his arm was still wrapped firmly around my waist. I have to admit, Tom wasn't half bad. He was probably 20 and had light blond hair falling haphazardly into deep brown eyes. He was cute and kind, but nothing spectacular.

"Cool huh?" He noticed my shock. I nodded. "So you've never really been to a magic place like this?" I shook my head.

"I'd heard of magic but I guess I always thought it was fake. I mean how outrageous. But, I guess it has to be real if a place like this exists." I said in awe. He smiled at me.

"I'll show you around, don't worry."

"Thanks Tom!" I flashed him a brilliant smile.


	2. Chapter 2: Goblins and Wands

**Riddles**

_Chapter 2: Goblins and Wands_

He offered his arm, which I graciously took. He led me first to the marble building at the end of the cobblestone road. Gringotts, it read. "This is the bank." He explained, leading me up the stairs. I flinched when I entered, little wrinkly creatures with glasses were sitting around the room.

"What are they?" I whispered, hiding slightly behind him.

"Goblins. They won't hurt you. They just take care of the money." I nodded, indicating I understood.

He led me up to the nearest goblin. "Hello. Can we open an account?"

"Yes. Name?" Tom turned to me.

"Holly Mayer." I said, clearly.

"Blood status?" I looked at Tom and shrugged.

"Could we do a test? She doesn't know."

The goblin studied us, apparently annoyed. "Fine, come along." He led us to a little room and grabbed my hand. Without saying a word, he sliced my palm open with a little dagger. I gasped, more from shock than pain. I pulled my hand to my chest, attempting to halt the bleeding. Tom grabbed my hand and murmured a spell that made the skin stitch itself back together. I stared at it, engrossed in the magic.

"Thank you." I looked up into his eyes. He nodded. I didn't notice the blood that was on my shirt but he did and whispered a quick spell, effectively removing the stain. I again smiled.

The goblin turned to us. "You are a half-blood."

"What's that mean?"

"It means you have blood from both sides, a muggle and a wizard or witch." I looked confused so Tom explained more. "A muggle is a non magic human."

"Oh okay." I was, by now, numb to anything I was told. This was so much to take in. I was a witch?

The goblin took us back out and finished the paperwork. Then, asked for money to be converted. This snapped me out of my little rut.

"Converted to what?"

"Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts." I looked at Tom like he had a second head.

"What now?" He was so patient.

"Galleons are worth the most. Then Sickles, then Knuts. There are 29 Knuts to a Sickle and 17 Sickles to a Galleon."

"I'll need help remembering that but alright." He chuckled. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled it some money. "No! I can't let you pay. I have money." I dug in my pocket and found the cash I had shoved in there yesterday. Man, it seemed like forever ago.

But, being from the future had it's advantages. Not only would I know events that were to happen, like D-Day and V-E or V-J Day, but money was worth more. What costed $10 in the future only was a few dollars here. So when I pulled out $40, it seemed like so much more than it was.

The goblin converted it to Wizarding money and handed it back. I felt rich, for some odd reason. I thanked the little creature when he handed me a key. "This is to your vault."

"Oh, awesome. Could you put some of this in there for me?" I asked, handing him half of what I had in my bag, which he had given to me.

"Yes, we can ma'am. Thank you for your business." I nodded kindly and left the bank, Tom trailing closely behind me.

"You did well." He commented, looping my arm into his.

"Really? I have no clue what's going on. I just wanna find my way home."

"Where are you from?"

"America."

"Oh, that's a long way away. How did you get here?"

"That's the thing. I don't know. I woke up here." I figured telling him I woke up 67 years in the past wasn't the smartest move, so I kept that quiet.

"Do you think someone kidnaped you?"

"Maybe. I just don't know. I don't know what my parents are feeling? I don't know about my friends? I'm just so lost. Then, I discover I'm a witch, which I thought were myths. I find out that a whole magical world exists right under the noses of humans. It's all so much." I said, fighting back tears. He smiled sympathetically and wrapped his arm tighter around me.

"Hey, do you want to get your own wand? Then we can go get some books."

"Okay." I whispered, thanking him for his comfort with my eyes. I hoped he understood.

He led me to the wand shop, Ollivander's. Upon entering, a scraggly old man wandered out of the back of he shop. "Ah, hello." he croaked, grinning and showing crooked, yellow teeth.

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander." Tom greeted respectfully.

"What have we here? Do you need a wand midear?" He asked expectantly.

"Yes. I do?" It came out as a question.

"Wonderful! Come over here." He motioned towards a little stool by his feet. The hunched old man then took out a tape measure and began measuring me. It got a little awkward when he found the length of my nose. While measuring, he asked me question after question: my name, age, favorite color, strongest attribute...etc.

Finally, he pulled away and scurried to the back of his shop. He came back with an armload of boxes. One by one he had me try the wands. I did as I was told and waved the little sticks, feeling foolish. But he never ceased on finding one. After 20 or so wands, one glowed brightly when it touched my skin. I waved it and little sparks flew out.

"Is that good?" I asked, excited.

"Oh midear, it is! You have found your match." He grinned joyously. "A lovely piece as well; 11" oak with the feather of a Phoenix." I smiled. It sounded pretty.

"Thank you Mr. Ollivander." I reached into my pocket and paid him what he asked. Tom led me out of the shop and finally to a bookstore.


End file.
